


Heart on His Sleeve

by WinJennster



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cancer, M/M, Minor Character Death, Nurse Dean, Teacher Castiel, children with cancer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-22
Updated: 2015-09-22
Packaged: 2018-04-22 20:39:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4849781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinJennster/pseuds/WinJennster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean is a nurse on a pediatric cancer ward and wears his heart on his sleeve where his patients are concerned. Castiel knows just what to do to take care of him when things go wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heart on His Sleeve

**Author's Note:**

> This [commercial](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PVeOq60GcA) spawned this fic. I hope you enjoy.

Dean Winchester was an open book and he wore his heart on his sleeve. He had more love for the world in his little finger than most people had in their entire body. He cared deeply for everyone he met.

Sometimes, Cas wondered if that was his husband’s strength - or his great weakness.

He never had to ask how Dean’s day had been. He could tell by the bounce in his step, or the slump in his shoulders.

Dean was a nurse in the Pediatric Oncology ward at Johns Hopkins Hospital. That was how they’d met. Castiel had been visiting his sister Anna’s daughter on the ward as she fought leukemia. Dean had been little Sasha’s favorite nurse, and it wasn’t long before he became Cas’s favorite nurse, too.

They’d bonded over their love of children - Castiel was a kindergarten teacher - and burgers. Now, eight years later, Cas and Dean had been married for five years, and Sasha had been cancer free for six. Dean was one of the head nurses on the ward now, but still as dedicated as ever to his patients.

Wednesday afternoon, he bounced into their little Fells Point rowhouse with a white box in hand, face wreathed in smiles as he greeted Cas with a kiss.

“Who went home?” Cas smiled.

“Dylan Connor! His Mom made me a pie!” Dean set the box down on the counter. “Cas, he was so happy. He’s going to be able to go back to school and everything. He’s doing so good!”

“That’s wonderful. I’m very happy for them.”

“Me, too. That family - I got really close to them. I’ll miss ‘em, but I’m so glad they’re going home.”

“You get close to all your families.”

“Yeah,” Dean blushed, “I do.”

Cas kissed his pink cheeks. “You’re amazing.”

Dean just turned a shade redder.

* * *

 

Friday he was quiet.

“Are you hungry?” Cas asked softly, stroking Dean’s arm as he sat beside him on the porch.

“Not really. I just - when we sent Tanisha home last month, that was supposed to be it. She wasn’t supposed to come back.” He laid his head on Cas’s shoulder. “I hate when they have to come back.”

“I know you do.”

“It spread. It’s going to be harder this time. I hope I can keep her spirits up.”

“If anyone can, you can,” Cas assured him, kissing Dean’s head.

* * *

 

The following Wednesday was one of the days Cas dreaded.

Dean came home from work and set his keys and bag on the table. His eyes met Cas’s, and they were red rimmed and dull. The bright Timon and Pumbaa scrub top seemed out of place with the look of abject misery on his husband’s face.

Without a word, Cas led him upstairs, stripped his scrubs off and settled in him into the tub with a capful of lavender bubble bath. “I’ll be right back,” he said softly, heading back downstairs to make cocoa and give Dean a chance to cry in peace.

Fifteen minutes later he walked back upstairs, a tray of cookies and hot chocolate in hand. Dean was laying back in the tub with his eyes closed, head resting against the wall. There were still tears on his cheeks, but he wasn’t crying.

“Here you go,” Cas said softly, setting the tray on the wide edge of the tub. “If you need anything else, just call. I’ll lay some pajamas on the bed.”

Dean nodded, not opening his eyes.

In their room, Cas laid out Dean’s favorite worn Led Zeppelin tee, his tattered Chevy pajama pants, and his best broken in pair of boxer briefs.

Checking on Dean one last time, he was pleased to see him sipping the cocoa. Downstairs, he continued the dinner prep he’d dropped when Dean walked in the door. Cas knew without asking that Dean had lost a patient today. Those days were the worst. Dean loved children so much, and he got so totally attached to each little soul on his ward. They had friends that had become their friends through their children. Dean just gave out love like he had an unending supply - which Cas was pretty sure he did.

He was just pulling the chicken pot pie from the oven when warm arms wrapped around his waist. “Thank you,” Dean whispered into the skin of his neck.

“No thanks needed. Dinner’s ready. Are you hungry?”

“Yeah.”

It wasn’t until they were curled in bed that night that Dean started talking.

“She was doing so well, and then last week, she starting going downhill so fast. This week, sepsis set in, and all we could really do was make her comfortable.”

“Sarah Rose?” Cas asked softly, stroking Dean’s hair.

“Yeah.”

“Oh, Dean. I’m so sorry.”

“I know it’s stupid - I do. I don’t know why I get so attached. The other nurses get upset, but they don’t lose it like this. They don’t go home and shut down like I do.”

“Would you rather be like them?”

“I don’t - I don’t know.” Dean sniffled, warm wetness soaking into Cas’s shirt. “I don’t think I could do this job and not care like I do, and I don’t want to do any other job. This is what I’m supposed to be doing. I’ve known that since I was a kid, watching Mom and Dad go through hell with Sammy’s cancer. I knew I was going to help kids like Sam. I remember that one nurse, Missouri. She took such good care of him, but she took care of me, too. She took care of my Mom and Dad. I remember how happy she was when the doc said Sam was in remission. No one was happier than she was when we left that hospital.”

Cas smiled. He’d heard this story so many times, but he never tired of hearing it.

“I remember thinking, that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to be like Missouri.”

“I think it’s wonderful that you care so much. It’s what drew me to you in the first place.” He kissed Dean’s head again. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. I just don’t know why you put up with this crap.”

“Because I want to. The caregiver needs to be cared for, too. I’m happy to be your nurse,” he smiled.

“Nurse Cas. I like it.”

Dean snuggled in closer, and a few minutes later he was sound asleep, snoring softly against Cas’s neck. 


End file.
